Calendar apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head
Fantastical vs BusyCal
Fantastical ranks #1 and BusyCal ranks #3 in our guide to the best calendar apps for Mac and iPhone. Fantastical is our pick for most people.
FantasticalPick Fantastical if you juggle work and personal calendars and would rather type an event than tap through pickers.Free to start#3 in the guide
BusyCalPick BusyCal if you want tasks, weather and events side by side and prefer a one-time $49.99 license.Free to startWhat decides it
- BusyCal costs less over 3 years: $49.99, against $170.97 for Fantastical.
- Both run on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- BusyCal is included with a Setapp subscription; Fantastical isn't.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Fantastical | BusyCal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Premium is $6.99 a month or $56.99 a year, with a 14-day free trial | $49.99 once from the developer. Free on the Mac App Store, with the full app at $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Free, with paid upgrades |
| 3 years of use | $170.97 Yearly plan | $49.99 Cheaper |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Where to buy | App Store, Developer | Developer, App Store, Setapp |
| Rating | 4.2 25K ratings | Too few ratings |
| Features | Widgets, Free trial | Menu bar app, Widgets, Free trial, Family Sharing |
| Made by | Flexibits Inc. | Busy Apps FZE |
| Last updated | 24 Oct 2026 | 26 Oct 2026 |
Who should get which
Get Fantastical if
You juggle work and personal calendars and would rather type an event than tap through date pickers.
Get BusyCal if
You run your week from several calendar accounts and want tasks and events side by side.
Skip Fantastical if
You check 1 iCloud calendar now and then, and Apple's Calendar app is already free on every device.
Skip BusyCal if
You glance at a calendar a few times a week, and Apple's free Calendar app is plenty for that.
Our verdicts
Fantastical
Where BusyCal asks $49.99 up front, Fantastical's free version already covers every view from day to year and turns a typed sentence like "Lunch with Sarah at 1pm tomorrow" into a proper event. It shows Google, iCloud, Exchange and Microsoft 365 calendars in 1 place alongside your tasks. The trade-off is that booking links, meeting polls and Apple Watch support need Premium at $56.99 a year, which adds up faster than BusyCal's one-time price.
BusyCal
Free on the Mac App Store for everyday calendaring, or $49.99 once from the developer, this calendar puts tasks next to your events and pulls in iCloud, Google, Exchange and CalDAV accounts. Plain-language entry, travel time and an 8-day forecast inside the calendar go well past Apple's Calendar. The App Store's full version is a subscription, so buy the direct license or get it through Setapp if you hate renting software.
What each one helps you do
Fantastical
- Add events by typing a normal sentence
- See work and personal calendars together
- Send a link people use to book you
- Poll invitees on the best meeting time
BusyCal
- See every calendar and task in a single view
- Add events by typing them in plain words
- Get alerted when it is time to leave
- Check your day from the menu bar
Where to get them
Fantastical
Free. Premium is $6.99 a month or $56.99 a year, with a 14-day free trial
-
App Store, iPhone, iPad and Apple WatchWith in-app purchasesFree downloadApp Store
-
Mac App StoreWith in-app purchasesFree downloadMac App Store
-
From the developerMac download; Premium has a 14-day free trialFree downloadGet it
BusyCal
$49.99 once from the developer. Free on the Mac App Store, with the full app at $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year
-
From the developerIncludes a 14-day free trial$49.99Get it
-
Mac App StoreWith in-app purchasesFree downloadMac App Store
-
IncludedTry Setapp
-
iPhone and iPad appCompanion app on the App Store$9.99App Store
Some links earn us a commission, which never changes a pick.
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best calendar apps for Mac and iPhone.
Notion CalendarPick this if you want a free calendar for Google, Outlook and iCloud, especially if you plan in Notion.Free
StructuredPick this if you want your calendar and tasks laid out as time blocks so you can see if the day fits.Free to start
DatoPick it if you keep Apple's Calendar but want the next meeting and world clocks in your menu bar.$18 once
ItsycalPick this if a free month view in the menu bar is all the calendar upgrade you need.Free, open source
AkiflowPick it if your calendar is where you schedule tasks pulled in from email, Slack and other apps.From $19
Read the full guideAll Fantastical alternativesAll BusyCal alternatives
More comparisons
- Fantastical vs Notion CalendarPick this if you want a free calendar for Google, Outlook and iCloud, especially if you plan in Notion.
- Fantastical vs StructuredPick this if you want your calendar and tasks laid out as time blocks so you can see if the day fits.
- Notion Calendar vs BusyCalPick it if you want tasks, weather and events side by side and prefer a one-time $49.99 license.